


Seating Arrangements and Former Significant Others

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Humor, M/M, Romance, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 03:56:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8041579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: “I'm not going to wager anything about our wedding.” Rafael replied.  “OK, $20 says I don’t cry and that you ugly cry.”





	Seating Arrangements and Former Significant Others

“Question, mi amor?”

“Answer.”

“Is there any reason why four of your exes have been invited to our wedding and reception?”

“Four?” Trevor poked his head out from the kitchen. “That’s not true. That can't be true.”

“Celeste Dunham, Nicholas Peterson, Graydon Holmes, and Michael Stanwyck. I hate Gray, why is he coming to my wedding?”

“You do not hate Gray, Rafael. You're mad at Gray because he was the guy I dated after you and you still choose to be irrational about that.”

“Yes, like I said, I hate Gray.”

“And Mickey is not my ex…we’re just friends. We've never been anything but.”

“He flirts with your mercilessly.” Rafael reasoned.

“I don’t expect him to do so at my wedding.” Trevor said.

“I do. He never misses an opportunity to toy with your tie. I hate that.”

“Celeste and I went to law school together and we’re still close friends. We dated for a while, yes, but were always better as friends. I wanted her there to celebrate the biggest day of my life.”

“And what about Nicholas”

“Oh that’s easy, Nicky is rich. He's going to buy us an amazing gift for sure. He is a kind and generous person, worthy of being a part of our celebration.”

“I didn’t invite a single ex to our wedding.” Rafael said.

“Is this the part when I say you don’t have a lot of relationships and you get mad at me or is this the part when I say that I don’t know many of your exes and you get mad at me? Just let me know so I can respond appropriately.”

“You're being facetious. You are, aren’t you?”

“I've been lucky enough in my life to have most relationships or dating situations end amicably. Some of those people are still a part of my life. We entertain and chat and do charity events together and I thought it would be nice, and fun, to invite them to what is surely to be the top gay event of the fall.”

“We’re not gay. Can't it at least be the top bi event of the fall?”

“Is there ever a top bi event of the fall?” Trevor asked. “This is an important question because I need to know which ones I've attended.”

“And I do hate Gray, and it’s not because he dated you after we broke up. It’s for other, more particular reasons.”

“You’ve invited your friends to the wedding, babe, and I've invited mine.”

They both decided that even though they wanted a grand wedding, the venue and menu was not cheap, a small crowd was more to their liking. It had taken some time but they narrowed the list down to 60 of their worthiest friends and family. More than half of them would be sitting on Trevor’s side though. Rafael didn’t have a ton of friends and he didn’t want most of his family there. Even though he’d been working with SVU for almost five years, other than Olivia he’d only invited Fin Tutuola. 

Trevor didn’t ask him about it; he surely wouldn’t pressure his fiancé to invite anyone who might take the magic out of their day. Rafael was more of an introvert than Trevor, though there was nothing wrong with that. He’d even burned some bridges over the years. The truth was if he wanted to share the day with those who truly had his entire heart and soul there might only be a handful of people there. 

This was a slightly big event on the gay calendar, something Rafael barely knew and didn’t really endorse. Because of that there would be a few people there that he didn’t associate with much. It was par for the course. He was about to become part of Manhattan’s same-sex couple elite.

“It’s like I'm marrying one of the popular kids.” He mumbled, surveying the seating chart once more. 

Ten tables, six people per table was the easiest way to do it. But it was hard for him to actually figure things out since he didn’t know some of the people or didn’t want to know them. Trevor had been in full Groomzilla mode for months but Rafael wanted to help so Trevor handed him the reins on this. He wished now that he'd never asked.

“You're just figuring that out?”

“You are not funny. I am not laughing, Trevor.”

“Babe, do you want me to do the seating chart? I can do it, I have time tonight.”

“I want to be a part of planning our wedding. I know, I know I told you to run away with the wedding and I would handle the honeymoon but I don’t just want to show up in an amazing suit. I want to be a part of the day too.”

Trevor came back into the living room with two small plates. He handed one to Rafael before sitting down beside him on the couch. Lieutenant Dan came over for a sniff, Blanche, who was dozing in their favorite La-Z-Boy, had never been fond of dessert. Trevor gave the dog just a bit of the whipped cream off the top of his triple chocolate cake.

“Chocolate isn't good for dogs. Go on, Danny boy, that’s all you're getting.”

The mutt gave him the wide eyed look but Trevor wasn’t moved. He pointed toward the chair and Dan skulked off. He hopped up in the La-Z-Boy with Blanche. She looked peeved for a moment to be sharing her space but soon they were cuddled together and napping.

“Rafi, you are part of the day.” Trevor said. “I want you to do the seating arrangements and make the final menu decisions. But you get so involved in the minutiae of everything and it distracts you. Six people per table; just sit six people at the table, love.”

“I want everyone to get along.”

“They will. There will be wine, food, music, and celebration…everyone will have a good time.”

“What about the music?” Rafael asked. “Your mother actually wanted a chamber orchestra to play elevator music. I don’t want my wedding to be like something out of _Downton Abbey_.”

“I would love for our wedding to be something out of _Downton Abbey_. Damn, we should've discussed this before…how fun would an early 20th century costume ball wedding have been?” Trevor asked. He cut a slither of cake and fed it to his fiancé. “Mom and I compromised. For dinner, 45 minutes to an hour, we’ll have a violinist and a cellist playing. Then after dinner for the dancing and socializing, I've hired a DJ to play our favorite pop hits, Motown, and cheesy love songs.”

“And we have a _song_ song picked out?” Rafael asked.

“You mean our song?”

“Yes.”

“I picked out something I think is perfect. We've never had an official song though there are surely plenty that either of us could pick that would make us think of our relationship. What's the first one that comes to your mind when I say you and me.”

“ _True Companion_ , which is incredibly cheesy. And I don’t want that one.”

“Why?” Trevor asked.

“Because I’ll cry if we have to dance to that in front of our friends and family. I don’t want to cry.”

“You really think you're going to get through our entire ceremony and reception without once crying?”

“Yes.” Rafael nodded and ate his chocolate cake. “Of course.”

“It’s never going to happen.”

“Would you like to lay a wager on it?” Trevor asked.

“I'm not going to wager anything about our wedding.” Rafael replied. “OK, $20 says I don’t cry and that you ugly cry.”

“There’s no doubt that I’ll ugly cry but they will be tears of joy.” He kissed his cheek. “Total tears of joy.”

“Sixteen more days.” Rafael sang.

“Sixteen more days.”

“Do you have any doubts? Any apprehensions?”

“Not a single one.” Trevor replied, shaking his head.

“Not one? I find that hard to believe.”

“Well, do you?”

“I worry I'm going to mess this up and then you'll divorce me.” Rafael said.

“You have a tendency to engage in self-fulfilling prophecy. We’re going to be fine. I'm stuck with you, Rafael Barba, and you are stuck with me.”

“I'm not going to drive you crazy?”

“Of course you are.” Trevor leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I look forward to every day of it.”

“You're too good to me.”

“I know. I love you, babe.”

“I love you too. Who in the hell should I sit next to Graydon Holmes?” Rafael picked up the seating chart again. The guests weren't going to seat themselves. He could do it and eat chocolate cake at the same time.

“We can stuff all of my so-called exes at one table. Then you only have to find two more people to sit there instead of spreading them out.”

“That’s a good plan. OK, let me just find two more people I don’t quite care for.”

“You're awful.” Trevor laughed. “You are the best and worst, Rafael Barba, and I love you for it.”

Rafael sighed, leaning his head on Trevor’s shoulder. They'd had a quiet night but he wanted to get this done before bedtime. And they still needed to walk the dogs. Rafael could use a smoke so he'd have one then. It wasn’t his favorite thing that other people Trevor might have been in relationships with would be attending his wedding. 

But the man had a lot of friends. Everyone knew, whether they liked it or not, that he was taken and that he was happy. Rafael wanted every moment of this to be perfect for Trevor; he was the one who wanted the glorious wedding. Though too many people couldn’t say that this was a once in a lifetime thing, Trevor could. They would have the wedding event of the fall and they would have a magnificent happily ever after.

“I promise.” Rafael murmured, eating more chocolate cake.

“You promise what, babe?”

“I promise everything.”

***


End file.
